Pillowcase burglary suspects arrested

Ocala Police arrested Robert Harrison and Jonathan Rollins as suspects in several residential burglaries around the city of Ocala. The pair are alleged to have ridden these bikes around to find their targets. They are shown at the Ocala, Police Department in Ocala, FL on Wednesday December 12, 2012.

Published: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 11:18 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 11:18 a.m.

Detectives with the Ocala Police Department say they have arrested the "pillowcase burglars" and recovered jewelry and other items they believe were stolen from homes during a string of residential burglaries dating back to early November.

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Robert M. Harrison, 29, and Jonathan M. Rollins, 36, were booked into the Marion County Jail between late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. Harrison faces six charges, including two counts of armed burglary and possession of burglary tools. He was on probation for domestic battery and not having a valid driver's license.

Rollins was charged with grand theft and two counts of armed burglary.

Both men have served prison time for various offenses. Harrison has been out since March 2006. Rollins has been out since July 2008.

Police officials said they have connected the men to at least 10 recent cases and are working to see if they were involved in another five to seven burglaries.

During a press conference Wednesday afternoon at OPD headquarters, Sgt. Greg Martin said the burglars would knock on doors to see if anyone was home or check doors to see if they were unlocked. They would then go in the homes and use the victims' own pillowcases to carry off stolen goods.

During the press conference, Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn said his wife had called him about seeing some men in the area who later stopped by wanting to know if they could do some yard work.

The men were riding bicycles near areas where the burglaries were occurring, officials said.

Martin said a team that included officers Stephen Cowf, Casey Walsh, Dan Clark, Jeff Hurst, Eric Reese and Sgts. Erica Hays and Eric Hooper was formed to catch the people responsible for the crime spree.

Hays spotted Harrison, Rollins and Tonia Donnelly, 34, riding bicycles Tuesday in the 2800 block of East Silver Springs Boulevard and stopped them. Donnelly, who is Harrison's girlfriend, had a pink backpack and gave the officer permission to search it. The officer found jewelry, electronics and records inside the backpack, according to reports.

Donnelly said the men asked her to sell the jewelry for them and said she had no knowledge of any burglaries or thefts, police said.

Martin and Detective Scott Rowe were called to the scene. Among the jewelry items, Rowe found a University of Central Florida class ring with a name engraved inside. Police contacted that person, who went home and found her back door kicked in and the residence ransacked. The ring, cash and a Kel Tec .380-caliber handgun had been stolen, she told police.

Officials said Donnelly gave them permission to search the home she shares with Harrison at 3914 E. Silver Springs Blvd. Inside, investigators found numerous items believed to have been stolen. Some of the goods — coin collections, rare baseball cards and vintage Elvis and Beatles records — had been wrapped as gifts for the suspects' family members.

Detectives searched two other locations and recovered more items.

Donnelly cooperated with detectives and was not arrested.

Martin said they still have "an extensive amount of work to do" in the cases.

Both he and Guinn urged residents to be alert for suspicious people or activities in their communities and to report anything unusual to police.

On Wednesday afternoon, OPD officials invited burglary victims to look at the recovered property to see if any of the items belonged to them. Anyone else who thinks they may be a victim of these or related burglaries and can identify their belongings can call Martin at 369-7000.

<p>Detectives with the Ocala Police Department say they have arrested the "pillowcase burglars" and recovered jewelry and other items they believe were stolen from homes during a string of residential burglaries dating back to early November.</p><p>Robert M. Harrison, 29, and Jonathan M. Rollins, 36, were booked into the Marion County Jail between late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. Harrison faces six charges, including two counts of armed burglary and possession of burglary tools. He was on probation for domestic battery and not having a valid driver's license.</p><p>Rollins was charged with grand theft and two counts of armed burglary.</p><p>Both men have served prison time for various offenses. Harrison has been out since March 2006. Rollins has been out since July 2008.</p><p>Police officials said they have connected the men to at least 10 recent cases and are working to see if they were involved in another five to seven burglaries.</p><p>During a press conference Wednesday afternoon at OPD headquarters, Sgt. Greg Martin said the burglars would knock on doors to see if anyone was home or check doors to see if they were unlocked. They would then go in the homes and use the victims' own pillowcases to carry off stolen goods.</p><p>During the press conference, Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn said his wife had called him about seeing some men in the area who later stopped by wanting to know if they could do some yard work.</p><p>The men were riding bicycles near areas where the burglaries were occurring, officials said.</p><p>Martin said a team that included officers Stephen Cowf, Casey Walsh, Dan Clark, Jeff Hurst, Eric Reese and Sgts. Erica Hays and Eric Hooper was formed to catch the people responsible for the crime spree.</p><p>Hays spotted Harrison, Rollins and Tonia Donnelly, 34, riding bicycles Tuesday in the 2800 block of East Silver Springs Boulevard and stopped them. Donnelly, who is Harrison's girlfriend, had a pink backpack and gave the officer permission to search it. The officer found jewelry, electronics and records inside the backpack, according to reports.</p><p>Donnelly said the men asked her to sell the jewelry for them and said she had no knowledge of any burglaries or thefts, police said.</p><p>Martin and Detective Scott Rowe were called to the scene. Among the jewelry items, Rowe found a University of Central Florida class ring with a name engraved inside. Police contacted that person, who went home and found her back door kicked in and the residence ransacked. The ring, cash and a Kel Tec .380-caliber handgun had been stolen, she told police.</p><p>Officials said Donnelly gave them permission to search the home she shares with Harrison at 3914 E. Silver Springs Blvd. Inside, investigators found numerous items believed to have been stolen. Some of the goods — coin collections, rare baseball cards and vintage Elvis and Beatles records — had been wrapped as gifts for the suspects' family members.</p><p>Detectives searched two other locations and recovered more items.</p><p>Donnelly cooperated with detectives and was not arrested.</p><p>Martin said they still have "an extensive amount of work to do" in the cases.</p><p>Both he and Guinn urged residents to be alert for suspicious people or activities in their communities and to report anything unusual to police.</p><p>On Wednesday afternoon, OPD officials invited burglary victims to look at the recovered property to see if any of the items belonged to them. Anyone else who thinks they may be a victim of these or related burglaries and can identify their belongings can call Martin at 369-7000.</p><p><i>Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or austin.miller@starbanner.com.</i></p>